Today's Headlines: As Hezbollah Threat Loomed, Israel Built Up Its Spy Agencies

Trump Allies Bombard the Courts, Setting Stage for Post-Election Fight

View in browser September 30, 2024, 4:00 a.m. Eastern time Top News Israel Strikes Multiple Fronts, Including Long-Distance Attack on Yemen The escalation of violence between Israel and Iran-backed proxies across the Middle East threatened to bring the combatants closer to an all-out regional war. Trump Allies Bombard the Courts, Setting Stage for Post-Election Fight Republicans are filing a barrage of election lawsuits in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. The cases may be a road map for a legal battle over the results. Iran's Leaders Are Vulnerable, Divided and at a Crossroad on Response to Israel Leaders in Tehran suggested it would be the Lebanese militia that would strike back at Israel after the killing of Hassan Nasrallah and bombings in Beirut. Editors' Picks Westminster Abbey's Brontë Plaque Had a Typo for 85 Years. It's Fixed Now. Punctuation delayed, but not denied: A memorial to Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë at Poets' Corner in the celebrated London church finally gets its accent marks. Opinion | What This Israel-Hezbollah-Hamas-Iran Conflict is Really About The devastating blow to Hezbollah by Israel has a place in the global struggle between the "coalition of inclusion" and "coalition of resistance." It could be the keystone. World 200 Clashes a Day as Russia Races to Break Ukrainian Strongholds With fall approaching, Ukraine says its forces in the eastern Donetsk region are facing battle more frequently than they have in months. Israel Strikes the Houthis, an Iranian Ally, in Yemen The strike on power stations and a seaport, which killed four people, was the second known time that Israel has retaliated against the militant group's attacks by striking in Yemen. Nepal Flooding and Landslides Kill at Least 190 People The mountainous country is experiencing more extreme weather driven by climate change, including melting glaciers that add to the frequency and severity of flooding. See more world news U.S. What We Know About Hurricane Helene's Destruction So Far After hitting Florida's Gulf Coast, Helene tore through the Southeast and particularly ravaged western North Carolina with floods and mudslides. The overall death toll rose to more than 100. The Black Church Has a Gen-Z Issue: 'They Don't Come Into the Building Anymore' These congregations are struggling to attract younger members. That has consequences for social cohesion and Black political power writ large. Students Paid Thousands for a Caltech Boot Camp. Caltech Didn't Teach It. Hundreds of universities have lent their names to online programs, plugging budgets but alienating students who feel misled. See more U.S. news Politics Five Court Cases to Watch Ahead of Election Day A blizzard of voting lawsuits are landing in swing states in the final weeks before the election. Here's a guide to the cases that could matter most. Republicans Criticize Trump Over His Insults of Harris Several Republicans distanced themselves from their party's standard-bearer after he called Vice President Kamala Harris "mentally disabled." Donald Trump and His Real-Life Apprentice The former president views JD Vance as a kindred political spirit, while Mr. Vance has spoken of Mr. Trump as a kind of father figure. See more political news Business Silicon Valley Renegades Pollute the Sky to Save the Planet Some restless entrepreneurs are releasing pollutants in the sky to try to cool the planet. Why Stellantis, Owner of Chrysler, Jeep and Ram, Is Struggling The automaker, created by a 2021 merger, is dealing with labor unrest, slumping sales and a revolt from its dealers. Dish and DirecTV Near a Deal to Combine (Again) The companies are in talks to create one of the largest pay-TV providers in the country. In 2002, the U.S. government blocked a similar deal. See more business news Technology California Governor Vetoes Sweeping A.I. Legislation The bill would have been the first in the nation to place strict guardrails on the new technology, but Gov. Gavin Newsom said the bill was flawed. SpaceX Launches Mission to Bring Back Starliner Astronauts Two astronauts — one American, one Russian — are headed to the International Space Station with two empty seats for crewmates who are already in orbit. See more technology news Arts How the Artist Liza Lou 'Messes With Your Mind' Her medium is the tiny seed bead. Her canvas ranges from a 35-foot-long mobile home to the chauvinist history of Abstract Expressionism. A Slippery Devil Finally Gets His Moment at MoMA The German artist Thomas Schütte expects blowback when a retrospective of his work opens. Maybe he even enjoys that prospect. Have We Gotten Aubrey Plaza Wrong This Whole Time? Don't let her deadpan sense of humor fool you. In projects like Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis," she puts everything she has on the line. See more arts news New York In Adams Indictment, Legal Experts See Strengths, Potential Pitfalls Prosecutors pursuing corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams appear to have some solid evidence, but winning a conviction is far from a given, experts say. Big Business Backed Mayor Eric Adams. Now It Waits to Learn His Fate. New York's business sector is concerned that the possible removal of Mr. Adams from office would leave it without one of its biggest boosters. A Scrappy Downtown Radio Station Returns From the Dead, Again Frank Prisinzano and Jorge Parreira have resurrected East Village Radio, an underground institution, after shuttering it roughly a decade ago. See more New York news Obituaries Kris Kristofferson, Country Singer, Songwriter and Actor, Dies at 88 He wrote songs for hundreds of other artists, including "Me and Bobby McGee" for Janis Joplin and "Sunday Morning Coming Down" for Johnny Cash, before a second act in film. Drake Hogestyn, 'Days of Our Lives' Actor, Dies at 70 Mr. Hogestyn was best known for playing John Black on the daytime soap opera and appeared in more than 4,200 episodes over 38 years. John Ashton, 'Beverly Hills Cop' Actor, Dies at 76 Mr. Ashton was most widely recognized for his role as Sgt. John Taggart in the "Beverly Hills Cop" franchise. See more Obituaries Opinion Guest Essay The Question Kamala Harris Needs to Answer to Beat Donald Trump She has prosecuted the case against Donald Trump and clarified some policy views, but not her why. That's what voters want to know. David French Iran Is Losing. That May Matter More Than Israel's Mistakes. Military success rarely brings true peace, but it can preserve societies. Guest Essay Why I Write My Own Obituary Every Year It's not as maudlin as it might seem. If you take a few minutes to try it, you might find the same. Guest Essay Laws Need to Catch Up to Artificial Intelligence's Unique Risks Artificial intelligence poses unique risks, so the people warning us of safety threats deserve unique protections. Guest Essay There's a Dangerous Misconception About the Military's Obligations to the President The prospect of a second Trump administration has rekindled an important debate from four years ago. Guest Essay I Grew Up Much Like JD Vance. How Did We End Up So Different? The vice-presidential nominee should be thinking of how to extend a ladder to those he left behind, not how to pull it up behind him. See more Opinion Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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